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Comparing costs

By Staff | Apr 7, 2019

Now that the Muller investigation is over, there are those on the right who are complaining about its excessive cost – a tremendous waste of taxpayer money! Taken in context of other special prosecutor investigations, it turns out that Muller’s is a deal. According to recent Time magazine reporting, Muller’s investigation may eventually cost between $32M and $35M. By comparison, Bill Clinton’s investigation cost taxpayers $69M, and the Regan Iran Contra investigation cost $47M, not adjusted for inflation. Moreover, Muller’s conviction of Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, resulted in Manafort forfeiting assets valued around $42M, including $22M in real estate property. While these forfeited monies will not go directly to the investigation, they do benefit the American taxpayer.

How does the cost of the Mueller probe compare to Trump’s many weekend golf outings down to Mar-a-Largo and other Trump properties in Bedminster, NJ and Sterling, VA? Recent reporting by the Washington Post and National Public Radio have calculated the costs of Trumps weekend golf outings over the past two years as about $64M. This includes Secret Service protection, and other security provided by the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. It also includes money paid directly to Trump’s properties for rooms and meals by these federal government personnel.

If the right wants to complain about excessive costs to the government, maybe they should focus on Trump’s many golf outings first.

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